Medvedev tries to explain his winning habit: “Sometimes I don’t understand tennis completely”

The Russian won another close match, his 66th win overall in 2023, to secure his place in the last four at the ATP Finals

Daniil Medvedev, ATP Finals 2023 | © Chryslène Caillaud / Panoramic

Simon Cambers

November 16, 2023

Nitto ATP Finals •group-stage • completed

See draw

D. MedvedevvsA. Zverev

No one has played more matches than Daniil Medvedev in 2023, a sign of his supreme consistency, fitness and success-rate.

His 7-6 (7), 6-4 win over Alexander Zverev at the ATP Finals in Turin on Wednesday, which secured his place in the semi-finals, was his 66th win, from 82 matches in all events.

Medvedev meeting some Torino players after the match. pic.twitter.com/nUSR4kzQLb
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) November 15, 2023

When he won his first title of the year in Rotterdam in February, Medvedev was ranked outside the top 10. After rediscovering the winning habit, he has enjoyed a stellar year, which has included five titles and another runner-up appearance in a slam final, and he’s bearing down on Carlos Alcaraz to finish the year as No 2 behind Novak Djokovic.

“Great to be in the semi-finals,” he said. “Two straight-set wins. Today, for sure many moments where it could be not straight sets. Tight match. I’m happy that I managed to win it, no matter in a way the points and how it went.

“I felt like lately I could have lost some matches like this, some tie-breaks. I’m happy this time I managed to win it. It’s always great for the confidence. Like this next matches you can try to do the same.”

Recovery from early Paris loss better than last year

This time last year, Medvedev lost early at the Paris Masters and then lost all three of his group matches at the ATP Finals. At the time, Medvedev said on Wednesday, he felt lost. This time, though he lost early to an inspired Grigor Dimitrov in Paris, his mindset coming to Turin was totally different.

“Sometimes I don’t understand tennis completely,” he said, looking back to the way he felt after losing to Alex de Minaur in Paris. “I was just lost. Maybe it was the season itself. Maybe I was more tired. I didn’t feel good coming here.

“This year, not the case. “For sure, tough loss against Grigor. I stayed in Paris for couple of days, but feeling not good, looking at other players compete, playing well, not a good feeling.

“But I was like, OK, try to do my best on practice. I think I lost Wednesday and started practice on Sunday. I was feeling good on practice.

“Coming here, I was feeling only better and better before the first match. I was like, OK, it’s good that I feel like this. Need to show it on the court. I managed to do it, so I’m really happy about it. But I still don’t know exactly why sometimes it’s not like this and sometimes it is like this.”

Medvedev takes on Carlos Alcaraz in his final group match on Friday.